Flushing-tank



(No Model.)

J. TOTHAM.

FLUSHING TANK. No. 446,903. Patented Feb. 24,1891.

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Jitarzwy UNITED STATES PATENT O ICE,

JAMES TOTHAM, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

FLUSHING-T ANK.

SI'EGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 446,903, datedFebruary 24, 1891. Application filed September 3, 1890. Serial No.364,306. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMES TOTHAM, a citi- Zen of the United States,residing at New .Haven, in the county of NewHaven and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsinFlushing-Tanks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention relates to improvements in flushing-tanks for flushingwater-closets and urinals.

Prior to my invention flushing-tanks were made in which the entiresiphon was lifted from a-valve-seat and a siphonic action thus started.These were open to the objection that, owing to the weight ofthe'siphon, con siderable noise was made when it was allowed to fallback to its seat. They were also made with a fixed siphon set inoperation by a valve set off from the siphon and connected with the longleg of the same by a pipe, the valve working against the pressure of thewater in the tank in opening and with it in closing made them open tothe objections that a considerable effort on the part of the person operating them was required to raise the valve from its seat and causedthem to make considerable noise when the valve was released and allowedto fall back to its seat.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide a valve for startingsiphonio action which is noiseless in its operation; second, to providea siphon which will operate without the noise which usually accompaniesthe breaking of siphonic action by the admission of air into the shortleg of the same; third, to provide a valve for starting a siphonicaction which is not noticeably aifected in opening or closing by thepressure of water in the tank; fourth, to provide a siphon the siphonageof which is effectually broken without the aid of an auxiliary valve orother attachment when the water in the tank reaches the level of thelower end of the short leg of the siphon; and with these several objectsin view my inven tion consists in certain novel features of constructionand combinations of parts, as will hereinafter be described, and pointedout in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal sectionof the flushingtank and a view in side elevation of the siphon and itsvalve closed. Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section of the tank andsiphon, the valve of the latter being in its closed position. Fig. 3 isa similar view showing the valve in its open position.

In the drawings, A represents the tank, which is furnished with anysuitable ballcock and float or other automatic filling device. (Notshown, as such feature forms no part of my invention.)

13 represents the siphon, the long leg at of which is secured to thebottom of the tank by means of the flange Z) and lock-nut c, and isconnected with the flush or outlet pipe by the coupling d.

(2 represents the oblique end of the short leg f of the siphon. Theflange 1) serves as an annular valveseat for the tubular valve 0, whichis operated by means of the bail g, lever 7z,'and chain 70.

The operation is as follows: The valve C being raised from its seat I)by means of the bail g, lever h, and chain lathe water passes throughthe openings Z in the, long leg at of the siphon B into the flush-pipe,which starts a siphonic action, which is continued until the water inthe tank reaches the level of the highest point of the oblique end 9 ofthe short leg of the siphon, when air is admitted in agradually-increasing quantity until the siphonage is effectually broken.The tubular valve C, having no flanges or other projections at or nearits seat I) and moving as it does both in opening and closing at nearlyright angles to the water flowing into the openings Z in the long leg ofthe siphon, (see arrows in Fig. 3,) is opened without noticeableresistance from the pressure of water in the tank, and for the samereasons when allowed to close does so noiselessly, not being suckedsuddenly back to its seat by the outflowing water. The function of thesmall hole m in the return bend of the siphon is to supply a sufficientamount of air to insure against the noise which would otherwiseaccompany the large body of air admitted at the lower end of the shortleg of the siphon in its passage through the return-bend.

In order to maintain in the tank a sufficient supply of water to insurea thorough wash or flush to the watercloset and to avoid a gradualescape of water from the tank between the outer circumference of thelong leg of the siphon and the innercircumference of the 1101- lowvalve, and thus through the valve-openings Z into the flush-pipe, Icarry my hollow valve above the high-watcr mark in the tank. The sameresult may be attained by making the hollow valve fit the outercircumference of the long leg of the siphon snugly enough to form a sealagainst the escape of waterbetween the two, in which arrangement thenecessity of carrying the valve above the highwater mark is obviated.

I consider the extension of the hollow valve above the high-water markpreferable, as it admits of a certain amount of play between the valveand the long leg of the siphon, which causes it to operate more easilyand avoids the necessity of a nicetyof adjustment which would otherwisebe necessary.

I claim as my invention the following defined improvements influshing-tanks, substantially as hereinbcfore specified:

1. In a flushingtank, thecombination, with a siphon having apertures inits long leg and provided with an outwardly-projecting flange whichserves to support the siphon and as a valve-seat, of a tubular valvewhich operates to open and close said apertures, substantially as shown.

2. In a flusllingtank, the combination, with a siphon having aperturesin its long leg and provided with a valve-seat,of a tubular valvesurrounding said long leg and adapted to open and close said apertures,substantially as shown.

In a flushing-tank, the combination,with the long leg of a siphon formedin sections, one of which is provided with apertures, of a valve-seatclamped between said sections and serving as a seat for a tubular valvewhich opens and closes said apertures, substantially as shown.

4. In a llushingtank, the combination, with the long leg of a siphonhaving valve-openings near the bottom of the tank,of a tubular valveadapted to open and close said openings, said valve extending above thehighwater mark in the tank, substantially as shown.

In testimony whereofI aliix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES TOTHAM.

\Vitnesses:

CHARLES F. CUnTIss, WILLIAM C. CURTIss.

